Heat exchanger for cooling liquids



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 15, 1951 H. w. KLEIST HEAT EXCHANGER FOR COOLING LIQUIDS Filed oct. 22, 1947 May 15, 1951 H. w. KLElsT 2,552,535

HEAT EXCHANGER FOR COOLING LIQUIDS Filed om. 22, 1947 s sheets-sheet 2 May 15, 1951 H. w. KLEIST 2,552,635

HEAT EXCHANGER FOR COOLING LIQUIDS Filed Oct. '223, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Patented May 15, 1951 HEAT EXCHAN GER FOR COOLING LIQUIDS Herman W. Kleist, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Dole Refrigerating Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 22, 1947, Serial No. 781,360

l Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in heat exchangers, and has for one purpose to provide a heat exchanger for use in cooling liquids.

Another purpose is to provide a heat exchanger for maintaining a supply of ice water or cold water.

Another purpose is to provide a heat exchanger which may be used in maintaining a liquid at a predetermined low temperature.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the speciication and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, where- 1n:

Figure l is a perspective view;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the structure of Figure l, on the line 2--2 of Figure l, the cold plates being shown in full line;

Figure 3 is a side view of the cold plates shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 4 4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the system.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specication and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I shall first describe the heat exchanger itself.

I generally indicates a cylindrical pipe or storage member which may be of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, sheet metal. It is shown as having closed ends 2 and 3. The head or end plate 3 is shown as provided with a plurality of bolts 4 which hold it removably in position against a suitable flange 5 on the member I. Any suitable gasket 5 may be employed, to render the device pressure-tight. It will be understood that any suitable end formation may be employed, but the one herein described and shown is adequate and practical.

Within the space surrounded by the tube I and the end members 2 and 3, I position a plurality of cold plates which may, for example, be vacu-` um plates. Whereas a wide variety of plates may be employed, I illustrate vacuum plates, each of which has a plane side member 'I andan opposite plane side member B. To bring the members together around their edges I provide the plate 8 with side anges 9 and end or edge flanges Il), which may abut against and be secured to marginal portions of the plate 1. Within each plate I may position a coil or tube I I, which may constitute or be used as an evaporator member in any suitable mechanical refrigeration system.

Since I employ three plates, I illustrate the corresponding parts of each plate by the same symbols. I identify these plates by the capital letters A, B and C. Whereas I have illustrated three plates, it will be understood that the number of plates employed may be increased or reduced, depending upon the capacity desired and the size of the installation in which the plates are used.

The plates may be connected by intermediate centering means or connectors I2. I may, for example, nd it advantageous to connect the plates as a prefabricated unit, of proper size to be slipped into a cylinder I, or to have a cylinder I wrapped around them. The individual tubes or coils I.I are connected in series by connecting passages or tubes I3 and I4. Any suitable connection, for the multiple evaporator thus formed, may be provided. I illustrate, for example, an inlet duct I5 and an outlet duct or tube It, which are'shown as extending from any suitable stuing boxes Ia and la on or in the removable end closure plate 3.

The inlet and outlet ducts may be connected in any suitable refrigeration system, my which a volatile refrigerant is circulated through the coils of the plates A, B and C, and is there permitted to evaporate. I illustrate such a system more or less diagrammatically. which includes a compressor I'I, a condenser I8, and a suitable pressure reducing means I9, all connected in appropriate series with the inlet duct I5 and the outlet duct I6.

Considering the possible applications of my system, it will be understood that it may be applied as a Watercooler. In that event, water will be admitted to the interior of the tube I, through a water inlet 20. The parts are preferably so related that the water admitted through the inlet 20 flows the entire length of the plate A, and then flows about the opposite end of the plate A into the space between the plates A and B. It then reverses its direction of iiow, and flows about the opposite end of the plate B, to the space between plates B and C. It again reverses its flow, and flows along the plate C until it reaches the outlet passage 2`I. It will be understood that the water ilow may be maintained in any desired manner, by pressure or otherwise.

The details of maintaining a water circulation do not, of themselves, form part of the present invention, and are not herein illustrated. As an example, however, if pressure maintenance means are employed, the heat exchange unit above described may be used in connection With the dispensation of ice water. .Any` suitable control means for the motor of the compressor l1 may be employed. I illustrate, for example, a thermostat control 22 which may, for example, be threaded into or secured to the removable plate 3. It may extend, for example, into the space between the plates A and B, and may respond to the temperature of the water in that space. If desired, it may be set so that ice will be built up on the surfaceV of one or more of the plates A, B and C, this ice having or performing a holdover or cold storage function.

It Will also be understood that I may, if desired, employ an eutectic within the plates A, B and C, or some of them, to provide a hold-over function without the necessity of exterior ice storage. find it advantageous and economical to employ plates without the hold-over feature, and to rely on exterior ice formation for the hold-over. In either event, the cycling of the refrigerant can be thermostatically controlled, as by the employment of the heat sensitive member 22, Which is shown in circuit with the motor of the compressor l1.

If my holdover unit is used in cooling liquids to a temperature above the freezing point of the liquid, then it is advantageous to provide the hold-over feature in the plates. For example, I may employ my unit to cool oil to a temperature far above the temperature at which the oil solidies. It is definitely advantageous to employ an eutectic in the plates, to give them the holdover feature.

In .the formation of my unit I may employ a closed cylinder l of any suitable material. In that event, it is advantageous to employ a pre- Y formed evaporator unit which may be slipped into the interior of the cylinder or tube l', and which is, thereafter, held in position by the removable closure 3. As will be clear from Figure 2, .the plate 3 may abut against the ends of plates A and C, and the intermediate plate B is shown as spaced somewhat away from the plate or closure 3. At the opposite end of the device the intermediate plate B abuts against the solid or non-removable end 2, completing the above described passage system. The result is obtained without the necessity of permanently securing the unit either to the cylinder i or to the fixed end 2, or to the removable end 3. Under some circumstances, however, it may be advantageous to include the plate 3 able unit. In either event, the device is locked into functioning position or condition by completing the sealing and locking of the plate 3 in relation to the end of the cylinder l.

It will be realized that, whereas, I have de-y scribed Yand illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic, rather than as limiting me in the preformed remov-` The unit includes an outer housing or 2,552,635 j ...l I

However, under some circumstances, I

controlled.

It is immaterial whether the cold plates within the housing I lie in horizontal or in vertical planes. As a matter of convenience, they have been shown herein as lying in horizontal planes, but this relationship may be changed.

`I claim: N

1. In a heat exchange member for cooling fluids, a tubular housing having a closed end and an open end, a closure removably secured yto the open end, a liquid inlet duct on said closure, a liquid outlet duct on said closure, each duct being in communication with the interior of the housing, and means for constraining the liquid in said housing to move through a tortuous Vpath of substantial length, including a plurality of cold plates connected in a unitary assembly, said assembly, including said cold plates, tubes connecting said cold plates, and said closure with its inlet and outlet ducts, being connected for bodily insertion into and removal from said housing, said plates defining with said housing and closure, a tortuous passage from said liquid inlet duct to said liquid outlet duct.

2. In a liquid cooling system, a housing having an open end and a closed end, a closure removably secured to the open end, a liquid inlet duct on said closure, a liquid outlet duct on said closure, each duct being in communication with the interior of the housing, a plurality of cold plates in said housing mounted on and removable unitarily with said closure, formed 'and adapted to define, with said housing, a tortuous passage from the liquid inlet duct tothe liquid outlet duct, and means for circulating a volatileV refrigerant through said cold plates.

3. The structure of claim 2, characterized by `and including a motor-compressor-evaporator unit in cycling circuit with said cold plates, and means for controlling the operation of the motor of said unit in response to temperature changes, including a heat responsive member, in electric circuit with said motor, extending into the interior of the housing.

4. In a cooling system for cooling fluids, aV tubular housing having a closed end and an open end, a closure removably secured to the open end, a liquid inlet duct on said closure, a liquid outlet duct on said closure, each duct being in communication with the interior of the housing, and means for constraining the liquid in said housing to move through a tortuous path of substantial length, including a plurality of cold plates formedY and adapted to define, with said housing, a passage from the liquid inlet duct to the liquid outlet duct, and a motor-driven condensing unit in cycling circuit with said cold plates, and means for controlling the operation of the motor of said unit in response to temperature changes, including a heat responsive member, in electric circuit vwith said motor, extending into the interior of the housing.v j

5. In a heat exchange member for cooling liquids, a tubular outer housing having a closed end and an open end, a closure removably secured to the open end, liquid inlet and outlet ducts secured to Said closure and cooling means secured to said closure and positioned Within the housing when the closure is in closed position, said cooling means including a, group of generally parallel cold plates formed and adapted to define With the housing a tortuous passage from the liquid inlet duct to the liquid outlet duct, each plate having therewithin an evaporator coil and `connections for circulating a Volatile refrigerant through said coil, said connections extending through said closure, the plates having edge portions opposed to the inner surface of said outer 15 housing and defining longitudinally extending passages, the ends of said plates being in staggered relation and defining, with the housing and closure, passages connecting said longitudinally extending passages.

HERMAN W. KLEIST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 599,047 Rider 1 Feb. 15, 1898 607,660 Miller July 19, 1898 1,378,715 Nielsen et al Mar. 17, 1921 2,221,423 Reinhardt Nov. 12, 1940 2,405,432 Kleist Aug. 6, 1946 2,448,453 Morrison Aug. 31, 1948 2,449,127 Kleist Sept. 14, 1948 

